KAZAN: Iran is advocating for the establishment of a new network for energy and freight transportation within the BRICS framework, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced during the BRICS summit held in Kazan on October 23. The proposal highlights Iran’s intent to enhance economic collaboration among BRICS nations by leveraging existing international transit and cargo routes.

According to Trend News Agency, President Pezeshkian emphasized that BRICS member states, as major global producers and consumers of energy and goods, could benefit significantly from streamlined transportation networks. The proposed networks aim to address various economic, banking, and currency issues efficiently. Iran’s strategy also includes fostering constructive partnerships through the international North-South and East-West corridors.

BRICS, an intergovernmental organization established in 2006, includes key members such as Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa, along with newer members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the
UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Russia currently holds the BRICS chairmanship, having assumed the role on January 1, 2024.

The North-South Transport Corridor, founded through an agreement between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000, aims to expedite the delivery of goods from India to Russia and further into Northern and Western Europe. The corridor offers a significant reduction in delivery time, from the existing six weeks to an anticipated three weeks. The Qazvin-Rasht railroad, operational since March 6, 2019, facilitates the connection between Azerbaijan and Iran’s railway systems as part of this corridor.

The North-South Corridor within Iran comprises three routes: the eastern route through Turkmenistan and Central Asia, the middle route across the Caspian Sea to Russia and other nations, and the western route through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern Europe. The ongoing construction of the Rasht-Astara railroad on Iranian territory is a critical component of this corridor’s development.